today in 1912

Ottoman Empire is defeated... Greece liberates Thessaloniki and soon after Macedonia.

That's true history turks can't get over it hi hi hi.

Thanks for sharing GREECEROX

Greece occupied Salonica joining with Serbia and defeating Bulgaria as a result Bulgarian strategical mistake.

The entire city was burned by greeks in 1917 just as they burned Izmir in 1922.

We don't say Selanik when we are talking to you. They are you greeks who cry saying "polis"!

Here is some History....
Thessaloniki in the Balkan Wars

At 11:35 on the evening of 18 October 1912, just a few days after the 1st Balkan War was declared, a torpedo boat captained by Lt. Comm. Nikolaos Votsis surprised and sank the Turkish corvette "Fetih-i-Bulend" in the middle of Thessaloniki harbour. The success of this daring enterprise announced in the loudest and most dramatic fashion that the city's future would lie in Greek hands.
This prediction came true in less than a week. Late in the evening of 26 October, the feastday of the city's patron saint, Demetrios, the commander of the 8th Turkish army corps, Pasha Hassan Taxin, signed the protocol surrendering Thessaloniki to the advancing Greek army.
On the next day, a Greek detachment took possession of the Town Hall, while on 28, Constantine, the heir to the Greek throne, the General Staff and the 1st Division entered the city in triumph. At about the same time, permission was given to billet Bulgarian units in Thessaloniki.
The first months of freedom passed amidst a euphoric atmosphere characterized by flags and banners, abolition of the symbols of Ottoman domination (starting with the fez), reopening of the churches, regroupment of antiquities and the voluntary departure of many Muslim inhabitants.
At the same time, the city's economic and administrative reorganization proceeded, though Thessaloniki seemed temporarily to lose many of its commercial advantages.
Two violent episodes disrupted this atmosphere. On 5 March 1913, King George I, who had been residing in the city since 29 October, was assassinated on the Street of Towers by Alexandros Schinas of Serres. His motives were never fully clarified.
Furthermore, three months later the country entered into the murderous 2nd Balkan War. Only 24 hours after the start of the Greek-Bulgarian clashes, Thessaloniki was disturbed again by gunfire. On 17 June 1913, the refusal to surrender of the formerly allied Bulgarian detachments who were billeted in various parts of the town, led to heavy night-long street fighting with the Cretan gendarmes and units of the 2nd Division.
By 7 a.m. the following morning, the whole Bulgarian force had been captured. Although the city was to have much experience of war up until the mid-20th century, the Greeks were now indisputably in possession of it.

http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/HellenicMacedonia/en/D5.B.html

THE BATTLES

THE BATTLE OF SARANTAPORO (Greek: Μάχη του Σαρανταπόρου) took place on October 9-10 (O.S.), 1912. It was part of the First Balkan War.

Battle of Sarantaporo
Part of First Balkan War

Date October 9–October 10, 1912 (O.S.)
Location Sarantaporon, Greece

Result Greek victory

Combatants: Greece Ottoman Empire

Commanders:Crown Prince Constantine General Hasan Tahsin Pasha
Casualties
182 dead, 995 wounded, plus the missing casualties of the 1st Infantry Regiment[1]


The Greek "Army of Thessaly", under Crown Prince Constantine (with General Panagiotis Danglis as his chief of staff) crossed the border on 5 October. The army consisted of 6 divisions (1st-6th) with the 7th Division forming at Larissa, a Cavalry Brigade and 4 independent Evzones battalions. After small-scale engagements with Turkish border forces, it occupied Elassona and reached the Sarantaporo straits on the 7th.

The Ottomans deployed their 8th Corps, with 2 divisions, against the Greek Army, hoping to hold the Sarantaporon straits, which had been extensively fortified by a German mission before the war. The total Turkish force equalled 14 infantry battalions with further 11 in reserve, supported by substantial artillery and three machine-gun companies.

The Greek offensive began on 9 October, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions attacking the Turkish main line frontally, the 4th Division attempting a flanking move to the west, in order to bypass the fortifications and thence occupy the Pota straits, in the rear of the Turkish positions, while the 5th Division was ordered to execute an even broader maneuvre. The advance of the Greek troops on open terrain, under Turkish artillery fire, caused many casualties, but by the night the three Greek divisions had established contact with the main Turkish line. The 5th Division run into stiff resistance, but the 4th Division managed to push back the Turkish flank and to occupy its designated objective. During the night the Turks, after becoming aware of the 4th Division's move, retreated in good order under the cover of the darkness and the heavy rain to avoid being completely encircled.

The battle, although not very successful, was nonetheless of major significance to the Greeks. Despite the somewhat clumsy Greek plan, the Greek soldiers performed well, and the victory helped expunge the stain of the 1897 catastrophe. Furthermore, the Sarantaporo straits were the only position where the numerically inferior Ottoman Turkish forces had any hope of stopping the Greek Army. Indeed, Field Marshal von der Goltz had confidently preclaimed that the straits would prove to be "the graveyard of the Greek Army".

Battle of Giannitsa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Battle of Giannitsa
Part of First Balkan War

Date October 19-20 (O.S.) 1912

Location Giannitsa, Greece

Result Greek victory

Combatants: Kingdom of Greece Ottoman Empire

Commanders: Crown Prince Constantine Gen Hasan Tahsin Pasha
Strength
80,000 men, 120 guns ca. 25,000 men, 30 guns
Casualties
188 dead, ca. 973 wounded no official data

The Battle of Giannitsa (Greek: Μάχη των Γιαννιτσών) was a battle between the Greeks and the Ottomans. The battle took place on October 20/November 2, 1912. The Greek Army defeated the Ottomans, opening the way towards Thessaloniki.


Admiral Coundouriotis.

Greece was considered as the weakest of the three main allies, since it had suffered a humiliating defeat against the Ottomans in 1897, and was not expected to contribute decisively against the Turkish army. It was able to field only ca. 110,000 men during the first stages of the war, but it had a strong navy, which was vital to the League, as only it could prevent Turkish reinforcements from being rapidly transferred by ship from Asia to Europe. The army, recently reorganized by a French military mission, was grouped upon mobilization in two Armies. The "Army of Thessaly", under Crown Prince Constantine, with Lt Gen Panagiotis Danglis as his chief of staff, fielded 7 infantry divisions, a cavalry brigade and 4 independent Evzones battalions, equalling roughly 100,000 men. It was expected to overcome the fortified Turkish border positions and advance towards western and central Macedonia, with Salonica being the coveted prize. Further 10-13 thousand men in 8 battalions, were assigned to the "Army of Epirus" under Lt Gen Konstantinos Sapountzakis, which was intended to advance into Epirus. As it had no hope of capturing its heavily fortified capital, Ioannina, its initial mission was simply to occupy the Turkish forces there until sufficient reinforcements could be sent from the Army of Thessaly after its successful conclusion of operations. The Greek Navy, in the meantime, was expected to seize the islands of the Aegean Sea that were still under Ottoman rule and secure naval supremacy. The "Fleet of the Aegean", under Rear Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis, was assiged this task, and deployed 3 ageing battleships, the brand-new cruiser Averof and 7 destroyers. Small task forces of destroyers and torpedo boats were assigned to scour the Aegean and Ionian seas of small Ottoman vessels.

Operations
The Greek army advanced towards Thessaloniki from the south, and after successfully overcoming Ottoman opposition at Sarantaporo and Giannitsa, the city and its garrison surrendered to the Greeks on October 27 (O.S.)/November 9. At the same time, the Bulgarians had dispatched their 7th 'Rila' division from the north in the direction of the city, but arrived there a day after its surrender.

On November 4/17, the Bulgarians launched their attack on the Chataldja Line, but were repulsed. In the same time, the Greeks had begun transferring several divisins from Macedonia to Epirus. Gen Sapountzakis was replaced by Crown Prince Constantine, who supervised the siege of Ioannina.

Battle of Pente Pigadia
The Battle of Pente Pigadia was held during the First Balkan War. ("Πέντε Πηγάδια" means "Five Wells" in Greek.)

The Epirus sector was of a secondary nature to the Greek High Command, which was focused the operations of the "Army of Thessaly" towards Macedonia and Thessaloniki. The initial Greek strength in the area consisted of barely 8000 men of the 15th Infantry Regiment and 5 independent battalions, supported by 24 field-guns, under Lt Gen Konstantinos Sapountzakis. The Ottomans had at their disposal the under-strength 23rd Regular Division, and upon mobilization, formed the 23rd Reserve Division. Both had around 7000 men each, supported by 32 guns, under Esat Pasha.

The small strength of the Greek forces forbade a direct effort against the city of Ioannina, which was defended by the strong Turkish fortified position at Mt. Bizani, equipped with 112 guns. Therefore the Greek Army had to limit itself to the liberation of Preveza (October 21, 1912 (O.S.)) after a victory at Nicopolis the previous day.

Esat Pasha, having set up his headquarters at Pente Pigadia, began an attack against the Greek positions on October 23 with 5 battalions. Due to bad weather and the early onset of snow, the attack petered out to local actions, which ended with the Turkish withdrawal on the 30th. The Greeks suffered 26 dead and 222 wounded.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pente_Pigadia"


Battle of Skra-di-Legen

Battle of Skra di Legen
Part of World War I
Date May 16–May 18, 1918
Location Skra, Greece
Result Greek victory

Combatants
Allies Central Powers


Battle of Skra di Legen'(Skora di Legen) was a two day WWI battle which took place on May 16, 1918. Victory of the allied troops with a decisive Greek contribution. In May 1918 Greek military units held a leading part in the battle of Skra di Legen, the most important among the local offensives, that resulted in the capture of a particularly fortified position, controlled until then by the Central Powers, chiefly Bulgarian troops. The battle of Skra confirmed in the eyes of the allies the fighting readiness of the Greek army that has practically just been restructured. After that the preconditions for the allied counter-attack have been laid, that was launched in September 1918. This has been marked by a series of victories and continuous advances of the allied troops against the Central Powers.


Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
Part of Second Balkan War
Date June 19–June 21, 1913
Location Kilkis, Greece
Result Greek victory

Combatants
Greece Bulgaria
Commanders
King Constantine I General Ivanov
Strength
ca. 85000 men, 170 guns (73 Infantry Battalions, 8 Cavalry Companies) ca. 40000 men, 62 guns (32 Infantry Battalions, 1 Cavalry Regiment)
Casualties
8,652 killed and wounded est. 7000 killed and wounded, ca. 2500 captured

The Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas took place during the Second Balkan War between Greece and Bulgaria for the town of Kilkis in Macedonia. The battle lasted three days from June 19, 1913 to June 21st. The Greek army defeated the Bulgarian army.

During the night of 16-17 June, 1913, the Bulgarians, without official declaration of war, attacked their former Greek and the Serbian allies, and managed to evict the Serbs from Gevgeli, cutting off communication between them and the Greeks. However, they failed to drive the Serbs away from the Axios river line. After repulsing the initial Bulgarian attack of June 17, the Greek army, under King Constantine, advanced with 8 Divisions and a Cavalry Brigade, while the Bulgarians (1 Infantry Division, 3 Brigades, and elements of other units, under General Ivanov) retreated to the naturally strong defensive position of the Kilkis-Lahana line.

The Greek forces established contact with the Bulgarian positions on the night of June 19, and the attack commenced on the whole front the next day. The Greeks made slow progress, paying with many casualties against the well-entrenched Bulgarians, primarily because of their close deployment on open field and the frontal attack tactics of their High Command. Despite this, the town of Kilkis fell on June 21, forcing the Bulgarian commander to retreat, but managing to prevent a rout.

Due to its significance, the Battle of Kilkis gave its name to a Greek battleship, the Kilkis, in 1914.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kilkis-Lahanas"

Greeks liberated the city and TRUE Macedonia. Bulgarians fought in Pirin which is part of fake Macedonia region and Serbia liberated its own lands.

Greece only cared about REAL authentic Macedonia thats why we didn't care for Pirin or FYROMian lands because they are not part of true Macedonia but when Bulgaria thought it could threaten Greek Macedonia they where removed from the Aegean permanently

1917 fire was natural because most buildings then where made out of wood and because Thessaloníki is on the coast their is strong winds which helped spread fire. Fires in cities where very common at that time and destroyed cities very often in every country because everything is made out of wood and materials that would spread fire.

It was Greek soldiers and Greek citizens that fought and put out the fire. The fire destroyed many Greek Churches and Greek owned property and it effected everyone. Smyrna was destroyed and population massacred by Turks

Here is what happened with the fire of 1917. It is also in the book Salonica City of Ghost by Mark Mazower.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Thessaloniki_Fire_of_1917

"Spread of fire
The fire, according to the conclusion of interrogation that was carried out by the Court of Thessaloniki, began on Saturday 5 (OS) /18 August (NS) roughly at 15:00. It began at a small house of refugees in the address Olympiados 3, in the district Mevlane between the center and the Upper City. It was caused by a spark of fire from the kitchen, which fell in an adjacent deposit of straw. The lack of water and the indifference of neighbors, prevented a possible extinguishment of the initial fire. Eventually, an intense wind caused the fire to be transmitted to the neighboring houses, continuing on throughout Thessaloniki.

Initially the fire followed two directions, to the Diikitirio (Government House) via the road of Agiou Dimitriou and to the market via the Leontos Sofou road. The Diikitirio was saved by the efforts of its employees that hurried to help. The wind strengthened, causing the fire to continue to spread towards the center of the city. In the early morning of the next day, (6/19 August) the wind changed direction and the two foreheads of the fire destroyed all of the commercial center. At 12:00, the fire passed around the grounds of the temple of Aghia Sofia without touching it, and continued easternly up to the road of Ethnikis Amynis (former name: Hamidie) where it stopped. At the evening of Sunday 6 19 August, the fire completely died out."



So Kanuni before you start blaming Greeks for the fire READ ABOUT IT!

Wikipedia is one of the last sources I would read.

It hadn't burn during 500 year Turkish rule but somehow that realizes under greek rule. I would tell you. Population of Salonica consisted of mostly Turks and Jews. There were no greeks in the city as well as there were no greeks in southern Macedonia. That's why greeks had to show their civilization level. There were no such a big events in athens because when Turkish army left athens there were 7,000 people in the town who were mostly albanian and a few Turks and Jews. Greeks slaughtered all of them so badly when they get the town.

Why would we like to burn a city that we captured? Having been destroyed by Turkish army in Dumlupinar, greeks burned the city while they were escaping so that we wouldn't get a city when they'd run away. Moreover, Ataturk wanted to organize the treaty in Izmir instead of Lausanne to show greek damages. Greeks destroyed hundreds of cities, towns and villiages in the western anatolia and killed hundred thousands of civillians. That's why there are not so much Turkish monuments in the western anatolia now.

If you wanna recognize someone, give him power. Ottoman Empire was the greatest empire on the earth for centuries and all nations have lived so perfectly under Turkish rule. Situation of nations where greeks occupied - as a result of their power provided by central powers - was/is obvious. I've told you; you are nothing else but just harm. Fortunately we don't share the same country.

it is a quote from a neutral history book about fire and i have read it and its common sense.

Istanbul had many fires during this time era and so did other cities under because of building conditions and strong winds. Thessaloníki had a huge fire in 1890 that destroyed Hippodrome quarters

still with the usual conspiracy theories with no foundations?

Ottoman census showed 373,227 Greeks living in the vilayet of Thessaloníki alone and 204,317 Bulgarians. Albanians where imported by Ottomans all over the region to use in civil services. Turks massacred many Greeks especially in Ionia (Asia Minor), Crete, Constantinople and the Aegean islands. In Chios alone 42,000 where killed.

Thessaloníki was looted and completely destroyed in 1430 by Ottomans and didn't fully recover until after liberation. It was far more damaging then 1917 fires. Turks destroyed some of the greatest monuments in the world that are thousands of years old. less then 20,000 civilians died in war in Turkey and that is due to war conditions. Turks though latter killed 100,000 Greeks in Smyrna and burned entire city. Ottomans empire was discrimination society that didn't do anything good for the world or for anyone. This is why no one wanted to be apart of it anymore and everyone separated by their will. Ottomans Empire was known as Sick Man.

When Greeks liberated its lands they for the first time since Byzantine Empire truly prospered for everyone that it why Greek lands have much higher standards of living then Turkish lands. Older Greek Empires had more influence upon the world then anyone else that is why today almost every nation uses Greek systems for everything.

Thessaloniki was libaretes before 1912

even Byzantine era Thessaloníki was better then Ottoman butchered Thessaloníki.
at one time it even rivaled Constantinople after 1430 almost everything was destroyed and the city barely grew outside Byzantine built area. City grew more from 1920-1924 then it grew from 1430-1912.

The German-Greek King stated himself during this period that: THERE ARE NOT MUCH GREEKS IN MACEDONIA.

But there were Greeks! They may not have been more than the Turks, Bulgarians, Jews and Serbs, combined but there were definitely a large number! Once again Thessaloniki is back in the proper hand of the original inhabitants, GREEKS!

Istanbul has never burned to get destroyed entirely.

Ottoman census showed 373,227 Greeks living in the vilayet of Thessaloníki alone and 204,317 Bulgarians. Albanians where imported by Ottomans all over the region to use in civil services. Turks massacred many Greeks especially in Ionia (Asia Minor), Crete, Constantinople and the Aegean islands. In Chios alone 42,000 where killed.

Roman-orthodox people of anatolia didn't get killed. 20,000 people died in chios but 40,000 were killed only in Tripolitsa. There were 200,000 Turks and 60,000 orthodox people in crete before the greek occupation. They had been either killed or exiled. Many of them forced to get converted to orthodoxy. Situation of Istanbul is already obvious.Roman-orthodox people of Izmir had already flee when Turks re-captured the city. Try to find more logical lies.

Somehow so-called ancient greek monuments were destroyed but nothing happened to efes?

Even mount athos is a great example of slavic(byzantine) character of macedonia.

I have cited before what the Ottoman Empire had done to world. Even you owe your lives to us.

so Thessaloníki was not destroyed entirely and many Greek churches and properties where destroyed as well it affected everyone. at that time fires in cities was not uncommon Thessaloníki had enormous fires during Ottomans but only difference is that fire damage during Greeks got rebuild under Ottomans the hippodrome quarters was still destroyed until after 1913.

so their is no such thing as Roman Orthodox which is not even an nationality. Show a Orthodox Church in that region that preaches in Latin. under this logic i can say their are no Turks only Arab Muslims.

42,000 Greeks where massacred in Chios and 23,000 exiled. Only 2000 people still remained after the massacre. This is historic fact.

according to Ottoman census Cretan Turks at their highest point where 47% of Crete in 1820's.

They where sent to Turkey which was part of agreement that Turkey signed. You are trying to criticize Greek for something that Turkey agreed to. And not to mention that their where way more Greeks exiled from Turkey. Cretan Turks though where still speaking Greek even after leaving.

100,000 people can't just leave so fast. even Turkey does not deny of mass deaths and destruction. And Christian quarters Greek and Armenian where destroyed and massacred.

Mt Athos was build long before Slavs and if you go their they are build with Greek byzantine architecture. proper name of Mt Athos is Greek, Ayion Oros which means Holy Mountain this name is used by Slavs as well.

what is this then. Slav migration to North Byzantine Empire from a Slavic source



the whole world knows of Ancient Greeks and monuments and achievements but no one has ever heard of anything Turkish.

I have been tired of repeating all the same things again and again.


Comparison


Agion Oros:










Slavic Chruches:

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Hagia Sophia:



Ancient Greek Temple:

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Greek Church:

and from where do you think Slavs got Orthodox Christianity from

Russian Tsars adopted it after observing Greek Byzantine Churches.

Haiga Sofia is a Byzantine built Church and dome structure was Byzantine architecture

Church Greece











interior of Mt Athos Churches look the same as Greek and the icons are all in Greek



This Church is made with early Byzantine design.

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OH and did i not just show that Byzantine Empire was around from before Slavs even arrived in Balkans from a Slavic source.

also this is American Orthodox Church using large wide Dome architecture does this mean that Americans invented them.

Religions don't have an ethnicity.

We got islam from arabs but our mosques are fancier than theirs. Iranian mosques are also better.

East Rome had decided to seperate it's church from Catholic West Rome and then it founded Orthodoxy.

That was entirely funded by russian princes:

Slavs got Orthodoxy from Greeks it was part of Tsars religious missions and Tsar build Churches in Russia adopted from Byzantine design and migration Slavs kept this.

This Mt Athos Church is made from the early Byzantine design used before Slavs adopted it.

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Mt Athos is holy mountain with Priests from all over the world from Greece to Latin America but once again it dates back to when Christianity was first adopted and long before Slavs

It is prohibited for women to enter mount athos. What a free and democratic EU country!

Slavic style is the same whether they are orthodox or catholic.

%20 of greece is atheist. Paganism is also improving.

Mt Athos has legal autonomy meaning while it is part of Greece it does not go by laws made from Athens. Oh well some people still living hundreds of years ago.

but compare this to women in the middle east that are treated as property.

Because greece is governed by the church just like a medieval european country.

Both semitic and ancient greek culture view women as inferior. The only difference is you are an EU member and have to obey some rules.

It is full religious rights other groups get similar opportunity. West Thrace Muslims have autonomous legal system apart from national law. and Muftis have more influence over Thrace Muslim matters then even Ministry of Thrace.

But Church influence is often exaggerated even they can't get the former Churches they wanted.

isn't Turkey right now going through religious influence movements.

Then why Women in Greece have same rights as men while in much of Middle East Women cant drive or vote. Some of the most powerful and influential people in Greece right now are women.

These are the same laws from long before EU

Atheism is 3% in Greece people who don't believe in God or in some other spirit or life force.

Paganism!!! please don't be funny. They are historic reanactors they replay ancient scenes like cultural dances thats why they sell tickets and historians go to watch.